Page 119 of Fate of the Sun King

Lor is laughing. “How long do you really think he’ll be?”

“Oh, he’s never coming back,” I say, and she giggles. “Should we go down to watch the show?”

“Sure,” she says. “You know, the first time I came here, I thought about what it would be like to visit with you.”

I stand and pick up the wine and two glasses in one hand while I hold out my other for Lor. She takes it before we start walking towards the stage.

“And what did you think it would be like?” I ask.

“I didn’t like it. I didn’t want you looking at anyone else like that.”

My answering grin is feral. “I love it when you’re possessive.” I reel her closer, wrapping my arm around her waist and whispering in her ear. “You can complain about my primitive Fae nature, but deep down, you’re exactly the same.” She gives me an annoyed look that never fails to stir something inside of me. “And you never have to worry about me looking at anyone else like that ever again. There is only you.”

We arrive at the seating area, and I place the wine on a small side table before I sit down and draw her onto my lap.

“I know,” she whispers as she wraps her arms around my neck. “There’s only you too.”

Those words. The way she feels against me. The way she smells. My eyes close, and I exhale a drawn-out breath. I’ve waited for this for so long. I don’t just feel for her, I feel everything when I’m with her. Every bit of joy and sorrow. Every laugh and tear I’ve ever shed. I think of all the things I want us to experience together, and I pray we’ll get that chance.

“Where did you go?” she asks, stirring me from my thoughts.

“Just thinking about the future,” I say, and she gives me a sad smile.

“Pour us some wine.” I hand her a glass just as the lights dim above and the crowd mutes to an excited hush.

Lor twists so she’s facing the stage, and I love that she stays on my lap, not that I’d let her move if she tried.

A moment later, two High Fae, a male and female, walk onto the stage. They’ve dispensed with any pretense of clothing and are already nude and stripped of pretty much every bit of hair on their bodies. They’re both specimens of magnificent perfection, obviously chosen for this purpose to excite and inspire every savage feeling and emotion.

The man brings out a long silken cord and then proceeds to wrap it around the woman’s body in a series of complex knots and twists, highlighting her breasts and ass. A hook descends from the ceiling, and he hoists her up, attaching her to it before he hikes up her knees, wrapping more cords around them so she’s spread open like a dragonfly snared in a spider’s web. Slowly, she starts to spin.

“What do you think?” I ask, sliding my hand up Lor’s back and whispering in her ear. I don’t miss how she shivers at my touch, and my gods, that is the greatest feeling I could have ever imagined. I can’t believe this incredible woman is mine.

“It’s interesting,” she says, leaning to whisper in my ear. She cocks her head, studying the performers as if trying to determine if this excites or scares her.

“Maybe we should take them up on the offer of that room,” I say, and she tips a smile. We have important things to do, but I just want to touch and be with her. I want time to explore this momentous thing we’re becoming without distractions.

I tamp down the fear that we may never get that. That my father and Atlas are after her. That everyone seems to want something from Lor, and I live with the terror that I won’t be able to protect her.

“Maybe,” she whispers, and I’m about to say fuck it. Who cares about responsibilities right now? But then, a figure stands over us.

It’s the same hostess who delivered our message to Cloris.

“Madame Payne is ready to see you now,” she says. “Please follow me.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

LOR

At the sound of the hostess’s voice, I look up, trying to organize my thoughts. It’s grown warm in here, and I wave my hand at my face, trying to cool my flushed cheeks.

“Thank you,” I finally say, sliding off Nadir’s lap and standing up. He takes my hand before the woman beckons us to follow her through the club. We exit the solarium, head down another marble-lined corridor, and then up a spiraling gold staircase.

At the top is another hallway, this one lit by flickering sconces and lined with thick dark carpets, the walls covered in rich paneled wood. At the end stands a set of double doors. Our guide knocks softly twice before she swings it open. As we pass, she dips into a small curtsy.

“Madame Payne will be with you in a moment,” she informs us before sealing the door behind her.

We enter a sitting room decorated with more rich dark hues and velvet-covered furniture. The whole aesthetic almost reminds me of the Keep.